


we were like gods

by icyvanity



Category: All For the Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: (as usual), 2016 Summer Olympics, Bets & Wagers, F/M, Fluff, Joyful, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Olympics, i just thought that neil would never do this bc he would be afraid, sorry that andrew is kinda ooc, that andrew would say no? you know?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 14:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7761433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icyvanity/pseuds/icyvanity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The US Court is comprised of former players from various college and professional teams. They face Japan in the last round of exy games, and when they win, Andrew has a shocking request for Neil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we were like gods

The roaring crowd around them was nothing compared to Neil. Andrew watched as his toned legs carried him and the ball across halfway across the court, before he twisted and swung; the ball left his racquet and whizzed through the air—above the heads of Japan’s backliners to Kevin, who leapt to catch it in his own as if his life depended on it.

They had a minute left on the clock. Japan and the US had been tied for the past ten minutes; no one could get past Andrew, but Japan’s defense was more ruthless than even the Ravens. Neil and Kevin weren’t even supposed to be in the game by this point—as starting strikers on a large team, they should have played less than half—but the rest of the strikers had been injured; given, USA had injured Japan’s right back.

“ _Neil!_ ” Matt shouted from a spot closer to Andrew.

One of Japan’s own backliners was racing for Neil, even though he didn’t have possession of the ball anymore, and showed no signs of stopping. Matt’s heads up was the only thing that spared Neil from being crushed against the walls of the court. Andrew’s hands tightened on his racquet as Neil gave Matt and him a short, but thankful, nod.

The stadium went crazy as one of Japan’s team sent Kevin and the ball flying, but Neil ignored the outraged screams and sprinted toward the ball with Thea and Jean covering him viciously, daring anyone to take down _this_ striker. Andrew watched with rapt attention as Neil took all the steps he could and then chucked the ball as hard as he could at the goal. It lit up red; three seconds later, the buzzer sounded. The stadium, and the team, went wild.

Thea was back at Kevin’s side in an instant, helping him up and holding him tight as the rest of the team screamed around them. They were officially the best exy team in the world, and their joy was blinding in the harsh lights of the court. Andrew even left his goal to join his teammates, as more came pouring onto the court as the doors opened. Neil was slow as he moved toward them, but the rest of the US Court surrounded him, chanting his name and passing his helmet around like it was the Holy Grail.

Eventually Neil found Andrew, and it was only a quick mouthed _yes or no_ , before he was in Andrew’s arms. Andrew could feel Neil’s quick heartbeat and fast breaths, his arms wrapped around Andrew’s neck and their bodies pressed up against each other through their gear. Andrew pulled back, but only enough so he could drag Neil with him to the edge of the court.

“Andrew, what—”

“I need to ask you something,” Andrew said, cutting Neil off.

“This can’t wait—” Neil began, only to pause at the determined look in Andrew’s eyes. “What do you need to ask me?”

Andrew took a deep breath. He wasn’t particularly nervous, but that had been a rather tense game; why would he have any reason to be nervous. It was only Neil, after all. Neil, standing in front of him looking completely confused, sweat dripping down his face and soaking through his stupid bandana. The rest of the world might be blind to whatever Andrew and Neil had, but hopefully they would be too preoccupied by the recent win to notice.

Andrew pulled his gloves off and tossed them away. Reaching deep into the pocket of his shorts, he pulled out something small and silver. Neil’s eyes were on Andrew’s; he’d become too trusting in all the years since Baltimore. The Neil that Andrew had first met would have been looking at his hands, but that Neil was long gone.

Andrew got down on one knee. Neil looked almost concerned until he saw the glinting metal in Andrew’s hand; his eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

“Will you marry me?” Andrew asked. He knew that he didn’t have to embellish it for Neil to know how he felt. This was the opposite of nothing—this was putting a label on something that had barely even been hinted at publicly for years.

The stadium was quieting, and Andrew cursed himself silently. “Neil,” he prompted.

“Why?”

“You dumbass,” Andrew sighed. “Because I want to, and I think you want to too. Because we’re at the Olympics and I had to watch out for your ass for the past week. Because we can get all those bank bonuses. Because Allison and Nicky made a bet, and I don’t want Kevin and Thea to be the first couple to get engaged at the games.”

“Wait, Kevin is proposing to Thea?” Neil asked with raised brows.

Andrew rolled his eyes. “Thea is proposing. Keep up, Neil.”

“That makes way more sense, to be honest.”

Andrew nodded. “Do you have an answer? You can think about it if you want,” Andrew offered.

“ _Yes_ , you asshole,” Neil said, outraged that Andrew would think he would say no, but laughing as he pulled Andrew to his feet. Andrew slid the ring onto Neil’s finger. “Yes or no?” Neil asked again, and kissed Andrew when he said yes.

The crowd and their team erupted into joyous screaming once more, and Neil grinned against Andrew’s lips. They broke apart to receive their medals, shake hands with Japan’s team, and be herded off of the court. The press between the court and the locker room was more intense than usual—shouting questions and reaching past the security toward the players. Thea took the reporters’ minds off of Andrew’s proposal by tossing a ring at Kevin, who put it on instantly and pulled her toward him.

The rest of the former-foxes were waiting in the locker room with the rest of the team’s families. Allison was grinning and supporting half of a mostly-unconscious Nicky. Dan launched herself at Matt as soon as he was through the doors, waking Nicky up as she brushed past him.

“ _Andrew, that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life_ ,” Nicky wailed, leaning more against Erik now, who patted his shoulder comfortingly.

Neil walked into Allison’s waiting arms as Renee pulled Andrew aside, and Allison whispered into his ear. “Thanks for winning me the big bucks, Josten.”

Neil laughed. “Anytime, Reynolds.”

Matt clapped Neil on the back before pulling him away from Allison, handing her $200 over Neil’s shoulder. Aaron and Katelyn had joined Andrew and Renee, and they alone stood calm in the chaos of the locker room. Neil caught the tilt of Andrew’s head, directed at him, and excused himself from his best friend to join them. He earned more hugs and fist bumps on his way over, but he only stopped when he reached Andrew.

Andrew tangled their fingers together—something they both learned to be comfortable with together. “Congratulations, junkie,” he said, and rolled his eyes at Neil’s answering grin.

**Author's Note:**

> [read on tumblr](http://lady-gryffindor.tumblr.com/post/148900345493/we-were-like-gods-ao3-the-roaring-crowd-around)


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